May 17 -18, 2003 |
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Splish splash we were taking a bath – oops I mean we were riding our bikes! Saturday morning the slop fest had begun. Forty intrepid Babes and Babe Magnets braved the elements AGAIN to ride from Great Meadows in the Plains to the Loudon Fair Grounds in Leesburg. The scenery was beautiful and caused “whiplash of the eyeballs” as Babe Sue Witt… so appropriately calls it. The rain and mud put a DAMPer on things, but that didn’t stop the Babes and Magnets from staying busy at all of the rest stops lei’ing the appropriate participants and volunteers. Babe Jenn was most successful when every Gold Wing Rider wanted a lei from her! YOU GO GIRL! The MS Society served lunch at Round Hill Elementary school. While dining on Pot Belly Works sandwiches, several Babes and Magnets were asked if they were part of the famous Babes and Babe Magnets on Bikes team – they were told that the team was famous among past and present MS 150 riders. Even the bike racing team Snow Valley knew of the lure of the Babes and Magnets and the special Leis that are given so freely. In fact one MS Board member approached the Babe and Magnet crowd to shake hands and give praise to all the fun and positive attitudes that the team brings to the soggy weekend ride year after year! Babes and Magnets ROCK! Congratulations to Century riders, Tim Hoehn, Eileen Brancale, Stephen Farmer, Mike Showalter(4th of July Babes rider), John Ordway (came in very late b/c sobusy lei-ing women, who later wanted their pictures taken with him – he is a celebrity!), Steve Grudziecki, and Colleen Erikson. We didn’t have any first time centurions, so the champagne stayed corked – it was too chilly for bubbly! The Babes and Magnets campsite provided the only sunshine of the dismal day complete with palm trees and flamingos. Magnet Tom Witt set up the campsite for the Babes and Magnets and he moved boxes for the MS Society for an hour. Way to go Tom! A new canopy provided by Magnet Bruce Sklar and toted by Babe Sherri Holliday, kept us dry after a wet day as we joined together and chatted about our adventure ride in the rain. Original Babe Sue Witt’s blow up furniture excited many … need we say more? Those of us who’ve become older and wiser MS150 riders shuttled off to our hotel rooms to shower, warm-up, and dry off before returning to our braver and rougher teammates (the camping crowd) to enjoy live music, BEER amongst the flags and delicious Red, Hot and Blue Barbecue. Babe Jenn provided dessert for all – two beautifully decorated cakes, each with a theme. One was a bike the other was a flamingo and palm tree theme.We had many visitors to our campsite – all wanting to take part in the flamingo fun, eat cake and have their pictures taken in front of the palm trees and flamingos. We had a new addition to our flamingo flock – Babe Sharon, husband Magnet Gary, and mini Magnet Michael Sutherland made 2 new wooden flamingos (painted by mini Magnet Jim Witt). Thank You! Some Babes and Magnets battled the elements and slept in tents, several woke up in the middle of the night to discover that they now were sleeping in water beds. Magnet Ed spent the night swimming, wondering when the rain was going to stop. The word around the campsite is that Magnet Mark P has a "lucky" tent??? Babe Jenn was among the hotelers. She stated, “This was the first year that I didn’t room with a near stranger (sorry Original Magnet Jim, but I barely knew you when we bunked together, uh-oh, should I be spreading that around? Too late). I shared a room and two days of very wet but very FUN riding with long time instructor friend and new Babe Tracey. She rocked like a babe on the hills – spinning is good training.” Some were even smarter and spent the night in their cozy homes, like new Babe Sue Estes. Does anyone know Magnets Jeff and Andrew? Captain Jenn is still looking for them. Babe Hillary rode the short ride in spite of some awful virus. Returning and loyal Magnet Guy pulled new Magnet Omar across the finish even though they got a late start. Guy is great at recruiting volunteers too--thanks Andrea, Tyler and Tiara. The volunteers really make the ride great for us. Two Babes didn't get to ride. Babe Mary had to be a care for a sick friend, and Babe Kim (another Guy recruit) is in Bagdhad. Next year Kim!!! Babe Paisley's spirits were challenged by the weather. I was impressed when her racer husband Bruce said that with even over 2000 on his bike this year, the Saturday 60-mile ride "was by far the toughest ride this year." Thanks to Bruce for getting a $400 matching gift from his company for the money that Babe Kara and co. raised at the happy hour. Babe Leah recruited some new team members, including Colleen, Erik, and Stephanie. They rode fast and furious. Jenevieve was a wonderful, spirited addition to the team and brought with her our youngest Magnet this year, Colin, brother Devin and dad Alok who wore a smile all day, both days. Babe Mary and Magnet Clayton were coerced (the tire tracks on their arms are beginning to fade) into joining the team at several training rides and completed personal bests on Saturday--Congratulations! Babe Kara and Magnet recruits Zack and Mark H. were spotted here and there. This was a personal best for Kara too (I think.) Woo-hoo! Zack managed to ride with a blown-out tire patched with duct tape. Magnet Bob joined in and put a bug in Capt Jenn's ear about our BBMoB doing some other rides together--how is the Reston Century in August sounding? We never saw Babe Valerija after the start, but we know that she made it home. She and Magnet Keith were both training ride recruits who kept Jenn going on a couple of training rides. Thanks! Magnets Gary and Dan had to hold up the partying end for the hotelers and hit a comedy club at 10, while most of us were sleeping. Their bus got lost the next morning on the way to the start, but they still caught up to others of us. Babe Jenn was again a wonderful leader and Captain of the Babes and Babe Magnets on Bikes team – and Babe Sue Witt… was again the team co-captain and coordinator of all campsite fun/decorations. WE GIVE BIG THANKS TO ALL TEAM MEMBERS FOR MAKING THIS THE BEST YEAR EVER! We are proud to say that as of May 13, 2003, we had raised $13,000 for the National MS Society! We know that we've exceeded our $20K team goal when the cash is all counted. We are proud of our MS team – 43 people strong, some new and some returning: BABES AND BABE MAGNETS ON BIKES ROCK!!!!
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